Future Earth is a 10-year international research programme providing the knowledge and support to accelerate our transformations to a sustainable world. As a science programme, Future Earth is committed to developing a Strategic Research Agenda that is co-designed in consultation with the wider scientific community and other stakeholders, to ensure that Future Earth delivers the knowledge the world needs.

At this breakfast meeting, Future Earth will open up the floor to participants at the General Assembly, asking:

- What should be the research priorities for the next decade of global change research?
- Where are the gaps in existing research?

In the first half of the session, Corinne Le Quéré (Future Earth Science Committee Member, Professor of Climate Change Science and Policy at the University of East Anglia and Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research) will present the Future Earth approach to developing its research agenda, and will give an overview of some of the research priorities that have been suggested so far.

Attendees will be asked to comment and to share their own ideas for what the priorities for global environmental change research should be, and we’ll encourage questions and lively debate throughout. The aim of this discussion is to seek fresh input and ideas on the future and priorities of global environmental change research, and to inspire researchers to get involved with initiatives under Future Earth.

We particularly encourage young scientists and early career researchers to come along to this session. As well as providing an opportunity to take part in an innovative approach to defining research priorities, attendees will have a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas and network with their peers.

Diana Greenslade (Future Earth Scientific Officer) will also be on hand to talk about the implementation of Future Earth and opportunities to get involved, for example, through linking existing research activities with Future Earth.

Future Earth integrates research activities under existing international Global Environmental Change programmes (DIVERSITAS, the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP) and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP)). Future Earth will be an international hub to coordinate new, trans-disciplinary approaches to research, integrating different disciplines from the natural and social sciences (including economic, legal and behavioural research), engineering and humanities. It will also be a platform for international engagement to ensure that knowledge is generated in partnership with society and users of science. Future Earth is sponsored by the members of the Science and Technology Alliance for Global Sustainability comprising the International Council for Science (ICSU), the International Social Science Council (ISSC), the Belmont Forum of funding agencies, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations University (UNU), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as an observer.

For more information on Future Earth, go to www.futureearth.info